strange and random happenstance

After Alice by Gregory Maguire
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Wicked comes a magical new twist on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lewis’s Carroll’s beloved classic.

When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford react to Alice’s disappearance?

In this brilliant work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit-hole herself.

Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Eurydice can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next is “After Alice.”"

While I liked Wicked, that was dealing with a source I didn't much care for... whereas Alice in Wonderland has a special place in my heart...

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Jennifer Donnelly, the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Northern Light and Revolution, comes a mystery about dark secrets, dirty truths, and the lengths to which people will go for love and revenge. For fans of Elizabeth George and Libba Bray, These Shallow Graves is the story of how much a young woman is willing to risk and lose in order to find the truth.

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort shot himself while cleaning his pistol. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was a partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo hears about her father’s death, the more something feels wrong. Suicide is the only logical explanation, and of course people have started talking, but Jo’s father would never have resorted to that. And then she meets Eddie—a young, smart, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. But now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and this time the truth is the dirtiest part of all."

Come on, this sounds just fascinating! 

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The ultimate collector’s item for fans of the epic fantasy series that inspired HBO’s Game of Thrones—a gorgeous boxed set featuring conveniently sized, hand-holdable leather-cloth-bound editions of the first five novels!

An immersive entertainment experience unlike any other, A Song of Ice and Fire has earned George R. R. Martin—dubbed “the American Tolkien” by Time magazine—international acclaim and millions of loyal readers. Now the monumental saga gets the royal treatment it deserves, with each book wrapped in bound leather-cloth covers and packaged together in an elegant display case."

Personally, I'd wait till ALL the books are out, because they're just going to rebrand them again and again.

A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 592 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The unspoken secrets and buried lies of one family rise to the surface in Elizabeth George’s newest novel of crime, passion, and tragic history. As Inspector Thomas Lynley investigates the London angle of an ever more darkly disturbing case, his partner, Barbara Havers, is looking behind the peaceful façade of country life to discover a twisted world of desire and deceit.

The suicide of William Goldacre is devastating to those left behind who will have to deal with its unintended consequences—could there be a link between the young man’s leap from a Dorset cliff and a horrific poisoning in Cambridge?

After various issues with her department, Barbara Havers is desperate to redeem herself. So when a past encounter gives her a connection to the unsolved Cambridge murder, Barbara begs Thomas Lynley to let her pursue the crime, knowing one mistake could mean the end of her career.

Full of shocks, intensity, and suspense from the first page to the last, A Banquet of Consequences reveals both Lynley and Havers under mounting pressure to solve a case both complicated and deeply disturbing."

Yeah new Lynley!

Mrs. Roosevelt's Confidante by Susan Elia Macneal
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this latest riveting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Susan Elia MacNeal, England’s most daring spy, Maggie Hope, travels across the pond to America, where a looming scandal poses a grave threat to the White House and the Allied cause.

December 1941. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill arrives in Washington, D.C., along with special agent Maggie Hope. Posing as his typist, she is accompanying the prime minister as he meets with President Roosevelt to negotiate the United States’ entry into World War II. When one of the First Lady’s aides is mysteriously murdered, Maggie is quickly drawn into Mrs. Roosevelt’s inner circle—as ER herself is implicated in the crime. Maggie knows she must keep the investigation quiet, so she employs her unparalleled skills at code breaking and espionage to figure out who would target Mrs. Roosevelt, and why. What Maggie uncovers is a shocking conspiracy that could jeopardize American support for the war and leave the fate of the world hanging dangerously in the balance."

I still have to start this series... I do have the first one around here somewhere...

The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Pantheon
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling series, Mma Ramotswe must contend with her greatest challenge yet—a vacation!

Business is slow at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, so slow in fact that for the first time in her estimable career Precious Ramotswe has reluctantly agreed to take a holiday. The promise of a week of uninterrupted peace is short-lived, however, when she meets a young boy named Samuel, a troublemaker who is himself in some trouble. Once she learns more about Samuel’s sad story, Mma Ramotswe feels compelled to step in and help him find his way out of a bad situation.

Despite this unexpected diversion, Mma Ramotswe still finds herself concerned about how the agency is faring in her absence. Her worries grow when she hears that Mma Makutsi is handling a new and rather complicated case. A well-respected Botswanan politician is up for a major public honor, and his reputation is now being called into question by his rivals. The man’s daughter has contacted the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to investigate these troubling claims, but, as in so many cases, all is not as it seems. In the end, the investigation will affect everyone at the agency and will also serve as a reminder that ordinary human failings should be treated with a large helping of charity and compassion."

Because everyone needs an Alexander McCall Smith pick me up!

Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns with another laugh-out-loud Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adventure: a hilarious road trip through the American West to Las Vegas.

Becky is on a major rescue mission! Her father has vanished from Los Angeles on a mysterious quest with her best friend’s husband. Becky’s mum is hysterical; her best friend, Suze, is desperate. Worse, Becky must tolerate an enemy along for the ride, who she’s convinced is up to no good.

Determined to get to the bottom of why her dad has disappeared, help Suze, contain Alicia, and reunite her fractured family, Becky knows she must marshal all her trademark ingenuity. The result: her most outrageous and daring plan yet!

But just when her family needs her more than ever, can Becky pull it off?"

Seriously!?! There's another one?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexander McCall Smith, Alice in Wonderland, Elizabeth George, Gregory Maguire, GRRM, Inspector Lynley, Jennifer Donnelly, Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella, Susan Elia MacNeal, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns to her beloved Shopaholic series with Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) newly arrived in Hollywood and starry-eyed. She and her two-year-old daughter, Minnie, have relocated to L.A. to join Becky’s husband, Luke, who is there to handle PR for famous actress Sage Seymour. Becky can’t wait to start living the A-list lifestyle, complete with celebrity sightings, yoga retreats, and shopping trips to Rodeo Drive. But she really hopes to become a personal stylist—Sage’s personal stylist—if only Luke would set up an introduction. Then, unexpectedly, Becky is offered the chance to dress Sage’s archrival, and though things become a bit more complicated, it’s a dream come true!

Red carpet premieres, velvet ropes, paparazzi clamoring for attention—suddenly Becky has everything she’s ever wanted.

Or does she?"

Who am I kidding... no matter how much I hate this series I going to still read this...

Ever After High: Once Upon a Time by Shannon Hale
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Read these exclusive introductions to all your favorite characters to find out what their lives are like at home! A new chapter is about to begin at Ever After High, and all the students are preparing to start their Legacy Year. In just a few weeks it will be Legacy Day when they will sign the Storybook of Legends and commit to live out their fairy-tale destiny, repeating the famous stories of their parents.

This volume collects together for the first time 12 short tales, including five BRAND-NEW stories. For the first time, find out what Dexter and Darling Charming, Cedar Wood, Lizzie Hearts and Kitty Cheshire were doing just before school started. This collection also includes the stories of Apple White, Raven Queen, Madeline Hatter, Briar Beauty, Ashlynn Ella and Hunter Hunstman, and the fairy tale The Tale of Two Sisters, which were previously only available online.

Don't miss this Once Upon a Time special edition of enchanting stories by bestselling and Newbery honor-winning author Shannon Hale."

The lazy person in my rejoices that all those short stories I was trying to keep up with (emphasis on trying) are finally combined into one book!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The third installment in the mesmerizing series from the irrepressible, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.

Mothers can disappear.

Visions can mislead.

Certainties can unravel.

In a starred review, THE BULLETIN called THE DREAM THIEVES, the previous book in The Raven Cycle, "a complex web of magical intrigue and heart-stopping action." Now, with BLUE LILY, LILY BLUE, the web becomes even more complex, snaring readers at every turn."

Yeah new Stiefvater! So glad I got to see her when she came to Madison this past summer!

The Pierced Heart by Lynn Shepherd
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The shadow of Bram Stoker’s Dracula looms large over the darkest mystery yet faced by Victorian detective Charles Maddox—as the acclaimed author of The Solitary House and A Fatal Likeness once again pays homage to a literary classic, in a chilling tale of superstition, dangerous science, and shocking secrets.

When an Austrian nobleman offers a substantial donation to the University of Oxford, Charles Maddox is called on to investigate the generous benefactor. It is a decidedly mundane task for the increasingly renowned criminal investigator, but Maddox welcomes the chance to trade London’s teeming streets for the comforts of a castle in the Viennese countryside. Comfort, however, is in short supply once Maddox steps onto foreign soil—and into the company of the mysterious Baron Von Reisenberg.

A man of impeccable breeding, the Baron is nonetheless the subject of frightened whispers and macabre legends. Though Maddox isn’t one to entertain supernatural beliefs, the dank halls and foreboding shadows of the castle begin to haunt his sleep with nightmares. But in the light of day the veteran detective can find no evidence of the sinister—until a series of disturbing incidents prove him gravely mistaken and thrust him into a harrowing quest to expose whatever evil lurks behind the locked doors of the Baron’s secretive domain. After a terrifying encounter nearly costs him his sanity, Maddox is forced to return home defeated—and still pursued by the horror he’s unearthed.

Owing to a string of gruesome murders committed by an elusive predator branded the Vampire, London is on the verge of widespread panic. But there’s little doubt in Maddox’s mind who is responsible. And whether his enemy proves merely mortal—or something more—Maddox must finally end the monstrous affair . . . before more innocent blood is spilled."

"Shadow of Bram Stoker" and I'm sold that easy!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blue Lily Lily Blue, Ever After High, Lynn Shepherd, Maggie Stiefvater, One Upon a Time, Shannon Hale, Shopaholic, Shopaholic to the Stars, Sophie Kinsella, The Pierced Heart, The Raven Cycle

A Perfect Proposal by Katie Fforde
ARC Provided by the Publisher
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: April 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Sophie Apperly is the odd one out in her family. They are all academic and artistic, whereas she's more of a homebody who likes to upscale thrift store finds into interesting creations. Therefore as far as her family are concerned she's a bit dumb and a bit of a dogsbody. To that end they volunteer her to take care of their Uncle Eric in the hope that this little gesture will make the horrid old man remember them in his will. Of course things don't go to plan in that Sophie and Eric get on like a house on fire and she finds out about a lost family trust to do with an oil well. Sophie decides to try to help her ever skint family by investigating this trust and to that end she gets a short term job in New York and goes to visit one of her two best friends. It's Sophie's dream come true, she's always wanted to go to New York, so when the job falls through, well, it's sad, but then there's more time to play the tourist on her very restricted budget.

At a gallery opening the helpful Sophie comes to the aid of the elderly Matilda. They instantly hit it off and soon Sophie is going to Connecticut to spend Thanksgiving with Matilda, who's grandson, Luke, looks on Sophie as a gold digger. Matilda and Luke himself are both rather wealthy. Yet Sophie has a heart of gold and, though she may be almost flat broke, she would never take advantage of this situation fate has landed her in. A situation that might help both her and Matilda, as Matilda sends Sophie back to England with a request, to find the house Matilda spent her holidays in as a youth. This might seem like a wild goose chase, but it's quite fun, and with Luke coming along for the ride, maybe something more then an old house will be found?

Three years ago I picked up my first Katie Fforde book and it was instant dislike. Love Letters struck all the wrong chords in me and made me swear off Katie Fforde. Of course I am a fickle person and I felt bad for having sworn off an author with only reading one of their books. I mean, shouldn't I at least give that author a second chance? Therefore I could look back without regrets having given said author the benefit of the doubt. As it so happens A Perfect Proposal had electronic galleys through Net Galley and I thought, if they approve my request, here is the perfect opportunity as it where to see if my first impressions were wrong. I thank the stars, and the e-galley gods, that I gave Katie Fforde a second chance. A Perfect Proposal was just the book I needed to brighten my days during a bleak time. This book is funny and witty with characters I connected to. I am hoping that Love Letters was the aberration in Fforde's writing career and not A Perfect Proposal so that I have tons of new books to look forward to. It's just such a wonderful surprise to find an author that you feel you can embrace.

You know how in some books they just drop everything in your lap from page one, here is everything and everyone, wham, girl, guy, situation, lots of complications till they are together, the end, or till they go at it, whichever comes first. A Perfect Proposal though does the exact opposite. We meet Sophie and are given the time to connect to her. We learn about her quirky dreams about customizing vintage and thrift clothing. How she's always loved the ocean. We feel for her because her family takes her for granted and think her a little daft, and who amongst us can't relate to that? There was a wonderful luxury in getting to know someone before they were thrust into this romantic situation. Not only that, but how often is it that someone so fundamentally good is the heroine? She has flaws, but she has such a big heart, she helps people who need it, is willing to give back without taking, has morals and is virtuous, but not in a goody two-shoes way. This lent the whole book a Jane Austen vibe in my opinion. There was the good poor girl who we've come to love and then her helpfulness puts her in the path of the aloof rich boy whose heart she will eventually melt by her sweetness. A modern Lizzy and Darcy if Lady Catherine decided to play matchmaker instead of heartbreaker. Sigh. I kind of wish the book hadn't ended so I was still in this world.

But no book is 100% perfect, there is always the things the niggle me, even in my most favorite of novels. The first is I didn't feel like the author had ever actually been to the United States. First that people from Maine were picking Sophie up in New York... um... I've driven that distance... it's like ten hours, not a short little jaunt. For Sophie not to know this it's excusable, but for the people she works for not having her fly there, that's weird. Sophie never using the internet, that's just odd. But New York being all wrong really got to me. Firstly, not knowing how big New York state is, forgivable, messing up distances within New York City, no way! She did a full days walk in weird opposite directions in hours, and then there's The Frick. I have been to The Frick many a time, and well, it's small, so easy to see everything in a short amount of time, an hour would do you easy, but Matilda makes it sound like it's the size of the MET! Also, the timezones are all off, England is five hours ahead of New York, no more, no less. Just little things an editor should have picked up on... which looking at my review of Love Letters, that was my main complaint, a lack of an editor...

Yet what I really want to know is what is up with this trope of Chick Lit and holidays? So I did inadvertently do Chick Lit month around Easter, chicks, see, it's funny right? But so many Chick Lit books throw in holidays. Bridget Jones's Diary is all about the holidays, bonfire night, Christmas... same with Confessions of a Shopaholic, oh, and Going Home which I just read too was all about Christmas. And that's not even taking into account girly movies like The Holiday and Love Actually, which I actually really hate. Is there an unwritten rule that makes holidays a must for declarations of love and hookups? Personally I think it's a little tacky, but that's just me.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Perfect Proposal, An Excess of Chicks, Bridget Jones's Diary, Chick Lit, Going Home, Jane Austen, Katie Fforde, Love Actually, Love Letters, Maine, New York, Shopaholic, The Frick, The Holiday, The MET

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: Dial Press Trade Paperback
Publication Date: April 25th, 2006
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Samantha Sweeting is on track to be the newest and youngest partner at the law firm of Carter Spink. She's given everything since she was twelve to keep on track with this path for her life and she's about to succeed. On the day of the big partnership announcement in the clutter of her desk she finds something that could ruin everything. Instead of doing the right thing she just walks away. She ends up on a train and gets off in the middle of the country not even knowing where she is. Drunk, tired, and delusional, she stumbles into the house of Trish and Eddie Geiger where they are holding interviews for a new domestic. At first Samantha doesn't realize what is going on and just goes alone with their assumption, but when she realizes that this is a job interview, one that isn't going well, well her need to succeed rears it's ugly head and she ends up getting the job as the Geiger's housekeeper.

Samantha, a girl who doesn't clean, doesn't know how to cook, can't even find out how to turn on her own oven, has just taken a job where she knows nothing and where in a week she is not even making her hourly rate at Carter Spink. If it wasn't for the gorgeous gardener Nathaniel and his mother helping Samantaha out she doesn't know what she would do. But Samantha is smart, some might say a genius, and it doesn't take her long to conquer this new world she's run away to. When her old world comes knocking will she want to stay in this new happy and peaceful life she's stumbled into or go back to the career track that has been her lifelong goal. She knows which one her mother and colleagues want her to choose.

While being a fan of the chick lit genre there was a part of me that never really bothered to seek out new authors. I preferred to have new books and authors to come to me as if by osmosis. Some sort of magical power whereby they caught my eye and bam, instant attraction... now that I think of this, there's some disturbing parallels to my love life... so now's the perfect time to mention Hugh Dancy. I have been in love with Hugh Dancy for over a decade now ever since Daniel Deronda. Because of this love I have seen a plethora of bad movies, the top three being Ella Enchanted, Arthur, and Elizabeth I, with Elizabeth I taking the crown for horridness. My love for him meant that I was intrigued by this movie he was going to be in called Confessions of a Shopaholic. Upon seeing that it was based on a book, away to Barnes and Noble I went, picking up the tie-in edition, which sadly didn't have Hugh on the cover... seriously, know your audience publishers!

I enjoyed Confessions of a Shopaholic enough to pick up the next few books in the series and a few of Kinsella's other books published under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, as well as her Kinsella pen name. I was never really blown away by her writing and as the Shopaholic series continued I became more and more angry with Becky Bloomwood and her never changing consumption habits. You'd think after six books she'd mature a little, but no. Every big revelation at the end of one of the books is followed by a quick slid into old habits by the start of the next. This lead to me not picking up any of the other Kinsella books I had lying around the house. One of the reasons I decided to do a Chick Lit themed month on my blog was so that I would finally pick up books I had bought that were creating a large backlog to my "to be read" pile. So I finally pick up The Undomestic Goddess. I should have never judged Kinsella on Becky Bloomwood! She created such a wonderful, relateable, fresh, and funny heroine in Samantha Sweeting, that I forgive that other alliterative heroine of hers for her flaws. Kinsella has been wrongly judged by me and I admit that perhaps Kinsella just doesn't excel in series and that stand-alones is where she shines. This book shone and made a bleak weekend fun.

I connected to Samantha on so many levels, but what really got me was her work ethic. Samantha's work ethic is 100% 24/7. There is no give, there is no outside life, there is the job, and only the job. Samantha is lucky in that until the events that unfold in the book she has never had a crash or come down. We live in a culture where to succeed means that you work too hard, you are literally willing to kill yourself to make it to the top. There is quite literally no off switch, no balance, no break. This is so me it's kind of scary. I'm the person who believes that doing anything less then the best you can do is unacceptable. There is nothing below first place, which will preferably leave those in second and third in the dust. In downtime between classes while in school I'd compare anti anxiety meds and stress induced ticks with fellow sufferers. If I was working on a job I'd work 24/7 until it was done. What is 9-5, that is absurd, there are so many hours in the day that are being unutilised with this way of thinking. But as Samantha comes to learn, this isn't a life.

I've had a harder time teaching myself this as well. It wasn't a mistake that flipped my switch off but my own body betrayed me. First there were some rashes, hive like bug bites, then I had a "lovely" nervous tick in my eye, seriously, don't discount how annoying these are till you have one. If I pushed myself too far on a project my body took to giving me a lovely cold after I was done because my body was so wrung out, and in one memorable case pneumonia. I have forced myself to change. I refuse to work on the weekends, where previously I didn't believe they even existed, just call me the Dowager Countess of Grantham. I try to spend more time with friends and have a book club. I have changed. Yes, I do backslide a little, but I have not backslide in Becky Bloomwood style. And from now on, Samanatha Sweeting is my role model for finding that balance in my life. As much as I hate the phrase, she found her bliss.

One of the things I kept thinking about as I was reading this book was how would this look from a women's lib standpoint. A high profile career woman basically goes back to the kitchen. Even if at first she doesn't know what to do in that kitchen, the fact that she's basically going from breadwinner to homemaker is a big change and could be construed as a step backwards. I like that when Samantha's secret comes out that the newspaper reporters who are hounding her bring up this exact argument, making me glad Sophie Kinsella was obviously aware of this statement she was making or, as I like to think, subverting. Yes, you could say this is all retro thinking, but think of the genre we are in. Chick Lit is a genre that is a touchstone for today's women. This genre gives us a mirror to our lives while also incorporating an element of wish fulfillment. Who wouldn't want to leave the stress behind and find themselves a nice gardener? But there's an empowering message in Chick Lit as well, it shows women working out the problems of their lives, it shows women, flaws and all. So I look at Samantha and don't see a women stepping into the role her female ancestors would have accepted as their lot in life, I see Samantha choosing the life that's right for her. Women can be whatever they want to be, a partner in a law firm, a housekeeper, a mother, the possibilities are endless, and Samantha has made her choice and I hope I've chosen as wisely as her.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Becky Bloomwood, Chick Lit, Daniel Deronda, Dowager Countess of Grantham, Elizabeth I, Ella Enchanted, Hugh Dancy, Lawyer, Samantha Sweeting, Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella, The Undomestic Goddess

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: Dial Press
Publication Date: April 19th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
Rating: ★★
To Buy
The economic downturn has everyone in England in an uproar. Everyone except Becky Brandon, who instead of looking at it as a problem that is effecting her family, views it as a way to introduce a new buying scheme at her work. The Look, unbeknownst to the higher ups, and on Becky's say, starts having their really expensive products sent to their customers houses in inoffensive packaging, such as computer paper boxes, so their husbands won't be in an uproar that they are spending when they should be saving. This kind of deceit against ones husband is second nature to Becky, she's been doing it for years. The economic downswing isn't the only problem though. In the past year the Brandons have been unable to find a home and have taken over Becky's parents house, their dinning room table is now her makeup area. Luke's step-mother, who was always more of a mother to him has passed away, and his real mother is now estranged to him. But let's not forget Minnie. Luke and Becky's daughter is a terror, or so everyone thinks. They even get a consulte from TVs super nanny. So instead of dealing with anything that might actually be productive Becky decides to spend all her time and tons of money she doesn't have planning a birthday party for Luke which almost doesn't happen and almost gets people fired, she herself gets put on leave. Becky being Becky, she will somehow pull it all off and be loved by all despite being a truly vile person.

Yes, Becky is a vile person. She lies to her husband, has serious issues that each book sets up as being resolved but then never is. She actually ditches therapy at the end of this book because she is moving to LA, aka, the inevitable next book wherein she will have all of Beverly Hills and Rodeo at her disposal. She takes over her parents house, never thinking that it's an inconvenience. Sure they can't eat dinner at the table, but what's that to Becky's beauty regime? She makes her co-workers and clients complicit in her lies, as well as Luke's employees, almost getting his assistant fired and not realizing that she is crossing the bounds of acceptable behaviour. I am no better than Becky... ok, yes I am, but the problem is I keep picking up these books. WHY!?! I have some sort of compulsion... I don't know if it's like watching a train wreck and I'm just hoping that one of these days everyone will gang up and kill Becky instead of having a big group hug and a spectacular party. Also, how callus does it look to have all the people partying while the banks are collapsing? Becky would still be shopping if London was burning, she couldn't resist a fire sale.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Becky Bloomwood, Luke Brandon, Mini Shipaholic, Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella

Shopaholic and Baby: Shopaholic Book 5 by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: 2006
Format: Paperback, 448 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Becky Brandon is pregnant and now has two to shop for. But being pregnant means not just having the right clothes, the right house and the right stroller, it means having the right doctor. By some miracle, Becky is able to finagle the stars to align to leave the doctor who delivered Luke into the world to get Venetia Carter. The hottest obstetrician. Delivering the babies of Bond girls and throwing to-die-for parties for the "yummiest mummies." She happens to be Luke's ex. She happens to want him back, or so Becky is convinced. So besides dealing with her raging hormones and trying to get the house of her dreams, get herself into Vogue's "Yummiest Mummies-to-be" article and a husband who is working on a very iffy merger she now has a Doctor she can't trust. The distrust leads Becky to not only hid more than just her receipts and credit card bills from Luke, but to also hire a PI to tail him. By the time Becky's water breaks will she be able to miraculously pull her life back together and fix everything before she cocks it all up in the next installment? Most likely she will in the most far fetched unlikely manner possible, because logic, reality and restraint are not words in Becky's vocabulary.

Why I found this book entertaining is beyond me. Becky is at her lowest most despicable and reprehensible. Yes, she is despicable. Setting a PI on your husband should end any marriage. It shows a lack of trust that is fundamental to that partnership that whether or not cheating happened, shows that the two of you should not be together. You shouldn't end up being thanked by your husband because of some lame deus-ex-machina! The profligate spending is not abated, the lessons learned at the end of each of the previous four books have been thrown away. How can someone be so dim and dumb. Why are Becky and Luke together? Really? I know it's chick lit so I shouldn't take it seriously, but COME ON! There is no chemistry, Luke is as dull as a pile of rocks and Becky is as dumb as them... oh wait, I think I might have stumbled onto something. They are rock kin! Too dense and to dull to get anyone better. By the next book she'll be too stupid to stop spending and he'll be too stupid to view it as a problem. But it's a book to pass a few hours by and to be thankful that this isn't your life.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Becky Bloomwood, Luke Brandon, Pregnany, Shopaholic, Shopaholic and Baby, Sophie Kinsella, Venetia Carter, Yummy Mummy

Austenland by Shannon Hale
Published by: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: May 29th, 2007
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Jane Hayes has boy problems. She's had a string of boyfriends and as each one has successively let her down she's lost herself more and more to the world of Jane Austen. Mr. Darcy is her dark dirty secret, hiding him away in her apartment where no one will look. But then her astute Great Aunt notices the DVD set amongst the dying foliage of her house plants and confronts her niece. Jane needs to grasp tightly to reality and leave the dream men behind. Don't let it wait till it's too late. When her Great Aunt dies she leaves Jane a legacy. An all expense paid trip to Austenland, the premiere holiday destination for Janites with cash to spare, as in enough to pay for a new car and a month in Italy. Jane feels silly dressing up in Regency garb and pretending to be "Miss Jane Erstwhile." The men are gorgeous, the house is wonderful, but it makes her secret not so secret. All these actors paid to fulfil her fantasies are now aware of her "issues."

At first she decides to eschew the world Austenland has opened to her and seeks comfort with Martin, who happens to be a gardener on the estate. She soon realizes that while making out with Martin is nice, there's no way he can help her get over her Darcy dreams. This is the best place in the world to do immersion therapy to get over Darcy once and for all. Jane throws herself into the world and soon has feelings for the Darcyesque Mr. Nobley. Are her feelings real, are his feelings real, or is he being paid to help her get over her addiction? If she can say no to Mr. Nobley then she'll get over Darcy.

I remember back in 2007 how excited I was for this book. Shannon Hale's first foray into adult literature. I also remember the glee (there was squealing) when Barnes & Noble put it out the Friday before it was supposed to be released so I got to read it over the holiday weekend. I didn't exactly like it, in fact, hate might be more the right phrase... here's what I wrote at the time: "Supposedly humorous book on Jane Austen addiction, but the author obviously has a disdain for those obsessed with Austen and views it as a problem to be hidden away, like the leads hiding of her double dvd set. Not very funny and to a true Janeite somewhat insulting. Plus the naming of the male actors is dumb, really the Darcy/Knightly Character is really called Nobley? I mean could it be stupider? The whole book is kind of degrading." As you might have guessed, time changes many things, including how I feel about this book.

So why has my opinion on this book changed so drastically? It's still the same book. It's not like it magically became something else like a caterpillar to a butterfly. In fact, many of the issues I had on my first reading are still present. What I think it comes down to is I knew what the book was and didn't have any expectations so I was actually able to enjoy the ride. The characters names are so absurd it's like they're named to be bad puns in a Restoration Comedy. The shame she feels for loving Austen insults me. The fact that the people at Austenland are like hookers who can't go all the way is mildly disturbing. If you just remember that this is a very broad over the top comedy I think it's more enjoyable than if you view it in any kind of serious light. I think over the years I've realized to not take things so seriously and also be able to embrace characters that I don't really like (hello Shopaholic's Becky Bloomwood) and that made me able to enjoy this book the second time around.

Also learning it's going to be a movie with J.J. Feild didn't hurt either. At least Jane Hayes reaches the correct frame of mind and embraces Austen as she is, the opiate of women, not a dirty secret to be hidden away, but to be proudly placed on your shelf next to Arrested Development Season 1.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Arrested Development, Austenland, Becky Bloomwood, J.J. Feild, Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy, Restoration Comedy, Shannon Hale, Shopaholic

Shopaholic & Sister: Shopaholic Book 4 by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: Dell
Publication Date: September 28th, 2004
Format: Paperback, 388 Pages
Rating: ★★
To Buy

Becky might have changed her name from Bloomwood to Brandon, but other than that things seem eerily similar. She miraculously pulled off not one, but two, dream weddings, and is now basking in the glow of an ill earned year long honeymoon traveling the globe with her husband Luke. Of course, Becky being Becky, she's secretly buying "mementos" everywhere they go... even if Luke said he didn't want the giant giraffes, he'll surely regret it once they're settled back in London. A christening announcement from Suze makes Becky realize just how much she has missed in her time abroad and Luke and her decide to cut their sojourn short. With a stop off in Milan, Becky maxes out her credit card on "the" fashion accessory of the moment, an Angel Bag, and makes a promise she might not be able to keep to a thuggish, yet oddly fashion conscious man, Nathan Temple, who aids her in the bags procurement. Once home Becky feels out of joint. Her parents are not thrilled to see her, Suze has a new best friend to go with her two new babies, and Luke is back at work and has reverted to the workaholic he was before. Plus, what is she to do with the lorries full of honeymoon mementos... she really didn't think she bought that much?!? With a little help from eBay, she's able to declutter, but then there's all those vintage coats that could be bought with her succesful sales, instead of paying off her bills... But once her parents drop the bombshell that she has a sister, everything else seems insignificant. Of course a sister with whom she has nothing in common, who despises shopping and who doesn't want Becky in her life could be a bit of an obstacle. But when things hit their lowest, it's to her new sister, Jess, that she seeks help. If Jess is willing that is...

I started reading this series last year due to the hype of the coming film coupled with the desire for some good chick lit. The books are light, fluffy and totally lacking in substance, in other words, what you expect from chick lit and a worthy successor to Bridget Jones. But I think, perhaps, I've had enough of Becky Brandon, nee Bloomwood. The first two books were fun and amusing watching Becky and her addictive personality successfully claw her way out of the pits of compulsive buying. But by the third book, she's not just hurting herself, but manipulating others... how she pulled off the two weddings seemed contrived and also not fair, she really didn't deserve a happy ending. At this point the books turned in a new direction, a tad more unbelievable and mean spirited. Plus, is anyone surprised that she's back to her old ways? Each book has an epiphany moment followed by her vowing to change. But by the next book she's back to her old ways. Becky is a cycler... she will never change!

It's this lack of growth that pisses me off, you'd think she'd learn something? But this time around things seem even worse and her marriage seems in jeopardy because of her old tendencies coming back to the front. Becky and Luke are the mismatched lovers that we're supposed to root for. But Luke is a workaholic who is abrasive and not very nice in this installment, looking down on Becky, the woman whom he supposedly loves but won't take advice from, while Becky is the same, self deluded Becky. These ill matched, mistaken fools, who don't seem to respect or understand each other, really grated on my nerves. Neither changes yet they expect the other to. I'm really curious as to what makes them likable? I finished reading them because they are diverting, but diverting like a train wreck. Eventually you reach the end of the line, and I think they have with me. Bye Becky and Luke... have fun with that baby you've got in the oven, it's sure to be messed up by the two of you!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 3 comments  

Labels: Becky Bloomwood, Book Review, Bridget Jones, Luke Brandon, Nathan Temple, Shopaholic, Shopaholic and Sister, Sophie Kinsella, Suze

So today, aka Monday, I'm starting a new weekly post entitled "Tuesday Tomorrow." So why is Tuesday so important for book lovers? Because Tuesday is release day! All the beautiful new books are placed on the shelves just waiting for someone to come along and buy them. Think about them today, sitting cooped up in boxes in backrooms across the country with all that potential to entertain and enliven. Then later tonight or in the early hours of tomorrow morning the excitement builds while they are stocked on the shelves waiting the opening of the store so that they will be released into the wilds of someones library. This week the book whose release I'm anticipating is Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: July 21st, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie–a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance–mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man.

Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family."

So why does this book intrigue me? First off, the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella (real name Madeleine Wickham), while by no means a staggering literary feat, is sheer fun for a quick read. And everyone needs a fast read every once in awhile, a sort of palate cleanser. We can't all be reading the Russian masters all the time, you need a bit of diversity. But the main reason is that I love the decade the book's ghost is from. The twenties, especially in London, you couldn't ask for a more fascinating time! Carefree youth flush from the victory of the Great War, not realizing it is a temporary peace. England literati the likes of Noel Coward. Oh, to be in England! So hopefully the book will live up to the summer reading fun I think it should be.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 3:18 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Noel Coward, Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella, Tuesday Tomorrow, Twenties Girl